Learning to See
by Castielnerdangel
Summary: Castiel was born blind. He has never seen the beauty in the world until Dean Winchester comes into his life and teaches him to see.
1. Chapter 1

Castiel felt his feet pat along the tile floor of his kitchen as he made himself a cup of his favorite tea. The kettle let out a loud whine, and he carefully lifted it off the stove and put the tea bag inside. He didn't see outside but he could tell it was raining. The sound of the raindrops hitting the roof was something he loved hearing.

He liked to imagine that he could look up into the sky and watch the millions of raindrops falling down from dark expanse above him but that was something he would never be able to do. Nor would he ever see what snow looked like or even his own face.

Castiel had been born blind. It was a challenge he had to learn to deal with, but he had never known anything different. He didn't let it separate him from the rest of the world. He wanted to live his life normally, and he was determined to do just that.

The layout of his small house was familiar to him, and he could navigate as well as if he had been able to see. Going outside was a different story. He used a cane to help him get around and for the most part it wasn't difficult but sometimes in new areas, it took a while to get used to it.

He had a part time job at the library, organizing the shelves using the brail code on the spines of the books. It didn't pay a lot but he enjoyed it. His parents were wealthy but they died in a car accident when he was young so he and his two brothers, Michael and Gabe split the money they left for them.

Castiel had a few friends and a simple life, and he liked it like that. Of course, he had to deal with discrimination from people around him. Some people treated him like he was a child who didn't know how to survive in the world, but he tried not to let things like that bother him. Which was easier said than done.

The tips of his fingers tingled as he wrapped his hands around the hot cup of tea. The steam billowed up into his face and warmed his chin. He smiled, smelling the sweet scent of chai tea, bringing back memories of Christmas holidays.

He made his way across the tile floor until he felt the smooth glass of the sliding door under his fingertips. As he slid the door open, he felt the breeze of the cool air ruffle his hair and sting his nose. He was hit with the scent of falling leaves and light chimney smoke coming from the houses around him. The air was cold, and the weatherman had predicted snow to fall in the next couple of weeks.

He lowered himself down on a small patio chair and enjoyed the sensation of the contrast between the heat of his mug and the cold of the air. He took a sip of the tea, letting the hot liquid run down his throat, warming his body temporarily.

He loved to sit outside and let his senses fill with the sounds, smells and feelings of nature around him. He liked to imagine what the world around him looked like, sometimes over stimulating his senses with the good and the bad.

He was lost in the feeling of the air against his skin when he heard the sound of an alarm ringing inside his house. He sighed and took one more whiff of the cool air before getting up and returning to the warm comfort of his home. The alarm was loud, and he hurried to the clock on the counter to stop the assault of the noise inside his ears.

The alarm meant it was time to get to work. He grabbed his white cane and keys and made a check of the locks before closing his door behind him and venturing out into the cold air. The sounds of the light traffic and a few people hurrying along the sidewalk filled his ears. He let his cane guide him over the cracks in the concrete and the uneven roads as he made the short walk to the library.

The woman at the counter greeted him as he walked in and went to go set his stuff down in the back room. His fingers traced his surroundings until he felt the edge of the metal cart. He moved forward slowly, and his fingers brushed against the brail on the side of the book.

He made his way over to the children's section of the library, hearing little feet pattering across the carpet and young kids using louder than library voices.

His finger brushed against one of the books on the shelves and he made his way down until he felt the right spot where the book should go. He lifted it up and gently slid it into its spot. He did this with a few other books until he heard someone walk up beside him.

"You look a little old for children's books" a man said, his voice low but smooth.

"Don't worry, I'm just organizing them. Can I help you with something?" Castiel asked, turning towards the sound of his voice.

The man laughed, a noise that made Castiel smile. "I'm looking for a book for my little brother, The Hungry Caterpillar or something like that" the man said.

"The Very Hungry Caterpillar, yes. That seems to be a favorite among the little ones" Castiel said, walking forward and gesturing the man to follow. His fingers trailed along the sides of the books until he found the one he was looking for. "Here you go" he said, handing the book to the man.

"Thanks" the man said, taking the book from him but Castiel could feel him linger for a couple seconds before he left. He finished with the children's section after a couple hours and started pushing the empty cart back to the front of the library but a voice from one of the tables caught his attention.

It was the same voice of the man before but there was a young boy voice with him.

"The caterpillar flew through the sky and ate a huge hole through the center of the tree, stopping for a minute to flex his caterpillar muscles for the lady caterpillars living there" the man said, causing a fit of laughter to erupt from the boy.

"I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure that isn't how the book goes" Castiel said, chuckling a little.

"Oh yeah, well this is probably the tenth time we've read this book, I thought I would change things up" he said, looking up at Castiel.

"We have storytelling sessions every day if you want to listen to someone tell a story better than your brother" Castiel said to the little boy, causing him to laugh loudly.

"Hey, he loves my stories, don't you Sammy" the man said, ruffling his hair. "Why don't you go pick out some more books and we can take them with us" he said, as the little boy went hurrying behind the bookshelves.

"Dean by the way" the man said, turning his attention back to Castiel. "Castiel. Nice to meet you Dean" he said, extending a hand. He felt the man's hand grip his own firmly before pulling away. His hand was nicely muscled but still soft.

"Any books I can put back for you?" Cas asked, even though something about this man made him not want to leave.

"Oh no, I'm good. The kid reads like crazy, we'll probably be taking these books with us but thanks though" Dean said, smiling and using this opportunity to look into Cas's face. He had light stubble, chiseled features, fluffy dark hair and slightly foggy blue eyes.

"Of course. Well enjoy those books, have a nice day" Cas said, smiling and pushing the cart back to the counter. As he was adding more books to the cart, he heard Dean and Sam checking out their stack of books at the counter. After a minute they were gone and the library returned to its quiet normalcy.

The day went by quickly, Castiel focusing on his task until at least 5 more carts of books were emptied, and the books were returned to their designated areas. "Bye Cas, thanks" the woman at the counter said as he grabbed his stuff from the back room and exited the library.

Going from the warm library to the cold outside was an unwelcomed attack on his skin. His arms filled with goose bumps and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he zipped his jacket up higher.

At a slower pace than before, he finally made it back to his house, closing the door quickly to keep as little cold air outside as possible. It was almost thanksgiving and Cas was looking forward to spending that day with his brothers and their families.

He hung his jacket up and sat down on the couch, stretching out his legs and folding up his cane. He reached around the table until he hit the remote, grabbing it and clicking the play button. The room was instantly filled with the soothing sounds of Mozart, the piano bouncing off every corner of the room.

He laid back and took a deep breath, letting the music wash over him, allowing him to feel what beauty looked like. He listened to the whole cd before getting up and making his way into the kitchen. He reached into the fridge and grabbed the sandwich that he forgot to take with him for lunch. He sat down at the table and ate it, nibbling in silence by himself.


	2. Chapter 2

It was another week before he saw Dean again but it wasn't at the library.

"The usual?" the barista asked him, her words soft and kind. "Yes please" Castiel said, handing her his credit card before moving over to wait for his beverage.

"Vanilla latte with soy" he heard the barista call a few minutes later. He stepped up to the counter and carefully took the hot coffee from her hand "thank you."

"Hey, um Castiel right?" he heard a familiar voice say next to him. He turned towards the voice and strained to put a name to it.

"It's Dean. From the library" Dean said, clutching a black coffee.

"Oh yes. How are you?" Cas asked, smiling at the recognition.

"Good. Sammy has already read through that huge stack of books he brought home last week" he said, chuckling a little. Cas barely knew this guy but he couldn't help smile at the sound of his laugh. He could just imagine the face behind his voice.

"Smart kid" Cas said, smiling "do you maybe want to sit with me?" he asked, feeling a little nervous as he waited for the answer.

"Oh, sure. I would love to" Dean said, following him to a table by the window and sitting across from him.

"What about you? How are you?" Dean asked him, taking a sip of his much too hot coffee.

"I'm good. Looking forward to the holidays" Cas said, his fingers wrapped around the cup until he pulled them away quickly, not realizing it was burning his fingers.

"Careful there, you alright?" Dean asked, and before he knew it he felt a hand on his own, lying lightly over his fingers.

"Sorry I…" Dean said, pulling his hand away quickly. Cas could hear the embarrassment in his voice.

"No, it's fine" Cas said, thinking about how much he had enjoyed feeling the man's skin against his own, even for a second.

"Are you going to the library today?" Dean asked, changing the subject. "No, it's my day off. I was thinking about going to the park and enjoying the weather until it gets colder" he said.

"It's pretty cold outside already, are you sure you want to sit out in it?" Dean asked, taking a sip of his coffee and glancing outside at the people bundled up in coats and scarves.

"I like the cold, and I love being outside. It makes me feel alive" he said, smiling. "Well I don't have any plans if you want some company" Dean said.

Cas smiled at this. It had been a long time since someone wanted to spend time with him. He was used to being alone but a little company would be greatly welcome "yeah, that sounds nice."

They left the coffee shop a little while later, leaving the sweet smells behind them as they crossed the street to the park.

The contrast between the sounds of traffic and the small crunch as their feet padded along the slightly frozen grass filled Castiel's sensitive ears as he counted the steps it took to reach the park bench. The bench that he knew was 5 feet from the large, now bare tree and about 15 feet from the small frozen pond in the middle of the park. He liked to come here in the warmer months when he could hear the children running around the jungle gym but as the weather was cold now, those sounds rarely reached his ears.

He felt Dean sit down next to him, close enough to the point that Cas could feel his body heat radiating from him. Dean's breath was light but picking up pace with the cold. He must have been zoning out when Dean's voice cut through the silence between them.

"It's pretty cold out here" he said, instinctively leaning closer to Cas.

Cas nodded "It is but I always loved winter. There is something eerily beautiful about it, especially when the snow falls."

He could practically feel Dean's confusion.

"…I mean I'm guessing it's beautiful. I would love to truly see it one day" he added, sighing and clasping his hands together in an attempt to warm them.

Suddenly he felt hands wrap around his own and warmth spread not only over his hands but over his face too. It was the same heat he felt earlier at the coffee shop when Dean touched him. It sent a shiver up his spine, and he smiled slightly.

He leaned into Dean, slowly, not wanting to scare him away. Their arms brushed together and when Dean didn't move away, he laid his head lightly on his shoulder. His heart was racing and he was scared he messed it up, moving too fast. He was about to pull away when Dean pulled one of his hands away and wrapped it around his shoulders.

It was a few minutes more before Dean spoke again "maybe we should get out of this cold."

Cas agreed although it hadn't bothered him yet. He didn't care that it was cold, he wanted that moment to last forever but he knew Dean was right.

They were about to go their separate ways when Dean took him by the arm and insisted he walk him home. Cas didn't protest. They slowly made their way to his house but all too quickly, they were on his front porch.

"Thank you, Dean. I had a great time" he said, smiling.

Dean laughed a little "I hope I didn't make too bad of company."

"Better company than I've had in years" Cas said, reaching his hands out until he found Dean's. "Well at any rate, I would…like to…to see you again" Dean mumbled, glancing down at their intertwined hands.

Cas was surprised to hear this. He thought he would have sent Dean running in the opposite direction, but for once someone actually wanted to spend time with him. He straightened his mouth once he realized he was smiling like crazy "I would like that also" he said "Wait, let me give you my number" he said, reciting his number while Dean plugged it into his phone.

Cas smiled and lifted a hand up to wave to him "Bye Dean" he said, carefully making his way up the steps before opening the door. "See you later" Dean said, his footsteps getting quieter as he walked away. Cas closed the door, wishing more than anything that he could look back at Dean. That he could see the face that belonged to that beautiful voice.


	3. Chapter 3

Cas kept his phone in close reach the next couple of days, waiting for Dean to contact him. He knew it was silly, they barely knew each other, but he couldn't fight his feelings of excitement and slight nerves as the phone remained silent. He wanted to call Dean instead but the last thing he wanted was to seem clingy.

One day after work, he slouched down on the couch, tired and feeling down when he felt a vibration in his pocket and a ring pierced through the air. His heart jolted and he reached for it quickly "Hello?"

"Cas, it's Dean. Um…I just wanted to see how you are" he heard the man mumble, the sound like music to his ears. "I'm doing well. How are you?" he asked.

"I'm good. I've been pretty busy lately with Sam. I swear this kid had more homework in the past couple of days than I had in my whole education" he said, laughing although his voice sounded slightly stressed.

Cas felt relief wash over him. Dean wasn't ignoring or forgetting about him, he had only been busy.

"I want to see you" Dean said, again something that caught Cas off guard. "Let me pick you up, I can make you dinner."

Cas was filled with happiness, trying hard to hide his wide smiled, as if Dean could see it through the phone. "That sounds great" he said.

"Great. I'll pick you up around six then?" Dean asked, Cas saying yes a little too quickly. Shortly after, Cas hung up the phone and practically dropped it in his excitement. Someone had actually asked him on a date, this had never happened before.

Castiel carefully made his way to the bathroom, using his hands to feel his hair. It was sticking up in a few places so he brushed through it with a comb and put a small amount of gel in it to keep it down. He couldn't see if it was good or not so he just hoped it was.

There was nothing more he could do but wait. He sat on the couch, fidgeting with his hands and picking at a stray string on the couch.

Finally the doorbell rang, cutting through the silence and making him jump. He got up, quickly and made his way to the door, a little too excitedly as he bumped into tables and chairs on his way.

He took a deep breath and pulled open the door, waiting for some consolation that this wasn't just a dream.

"Hey Cas" he heard Dean's voice say, low but soft. Cas smiled and put his hand out, feeling Dean's fingers wrap around his own. They stepped out onto the sidewalk and Cas felt the bite of the cold air on his face, but he tried to focus on the warmth of Dean's body next to him.

Dean opened the passenger side door and helped him inside before pulling away. Dean's car was loud, rumbling and rattling along the way. "I make a pretty mean burger" Dean said, laughing a little as he fumbled with the volume of the music.

"I guess I'll be the judge of that" Cas said, hearing the sweet sound of Dean's laugh as he slid his fingers along the smooth leather of the seat, searching for any tears or frays but there wasn't any.

The car ride ended quickly as Dean pulled up alongside the curb and ran around to the passenger side to let Cas out.

"Sammy's here. I couldn't really find anyone to watch him but he's a good kid, he won't be too bothersome" Dean said, smiling and doing a double take when he saw Sam peering at them from the window.

"It's fine, Dean" Cas said, taking Dean's arm and shuffling his feet on the unfamiliar surface.

"Up two steps" Dean warned, leading Cas up onto the porch before unlocking the door and pushing it open.

Cas moved up to the landing and felt a rush of warm air and the familiar scent of Dean from inside.

"Home sweet home" Dean said, tightening his grip on Cas's arm and leading him inside.


	4. Chapter 4

Castiel shuffled over the threshold and tried his hardest to keep his hands down at his sides rather than holding them out in front of him. He knew Dean would act as his eyes, he just had to trust him.

"Well we are in the living room right now" Dean said, "and the kitchen is about 10 feet to the left" he added, leading Cas over to the kitchen and setting his hand down lightly on the smooth countertop.

Cas breathed in deeply and inhaled the scent of seasonings and the soft musky smell that seemed to come from Dean's leather jacket.

Cas was about to ask what they were having for dinner when he heard the patter of small feet run across the tile and stop in front of them.

"I remember you" he heard a small voice say excitedly, and then he felt small arms wrap around his waist, squeezing tightly.

"Come on Sammy" Dean said, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder and leading him back a couple of steps.

"It's fine Dean" Cas said, smiling and turning in the direction of Sam's voice "how are those books?" he asked, bending down a little.

He heard Sam run away, his feet hitting the ground quickly. He straightened up a little bit, afraid that he scared him off until he heard him run back again.

"I read them all" Sam said, pushing a large stack of books into Cas's unsuspecting hands. Cas braced against the weight, not expecting it before he felt Dean lift them from his arms and set them down.

"Well I'm glad that you enjoyed them. Come back to the library again, and I can find you some more books" Cas said, smiling.

"Sammy, I think you have homework to do" Dean said, taking Cas's arm and leading him to the couch. "Make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back" Cas heard Dean move away and the house got silent except for the tick of the clock he guessed somewhere on the wall to his right.

He sat there patiently, his attention focusing on the nonstop tick. By the time he had counted past 100 he heard heavier footsteps walking back towards him.

"Sorry about that, Sam gets excited when new people come around" Dean said, Cas feeling the couch sink beside him as Dean sat down.

"No, it's fine. I like Sam. He's a good kid" Cas said, turning his head towards Dean. Dean's hand rested on the couch beside Cas's and Cas felt a finger run over the back of his hand.

Suddenly it pulled back and the couch rose to its original position "Right, dinner. Are cheeseburgers alright?" Dean asked, suddenly sounding a little more nervous than before.

"That's perfect" Cas said, standing up and letting Dean lead him back to the kitchen.

Castiel sat at the kitchen table while he listened to Dean rustle through things in the fridge. A few minutes late Cas felt a rush of cold air from his left as he heard a door slide open. "I'm going to go grill these, I'll be back" Dean said and the air turned to its normal warm state.

Cas sat there, fidgeting with his fingers, when he heard a noise by the counter. "Sam?" he asked, knowing Dean hadn't come inside yet. The boy jumped and hit something. Cas heard something fall and slide across the counter. The boy's footsteps got quieter as he retreated out of the room.

The house was silent, except for the hum of the TV coming from Sam's room that had been paused a minute ago. Cas stood up and felt in front of him before his fingers touched the edge of the counter. He ran them along the surface until they hit something. It was a wooden block, the knife rack that Sam had accidently knocked over in his failed attempt to spy on them.

His fingers slowly moved along the counter, searching for the misplaced knives. He felt a sharp blade touch the tip of his finger, just as Dean opened the door behind him. The sudden noise made Cas jump and he felt a sting as his finger ran over the blade. He pulled his hand back and smelled a faint scent of metal.

He heard Dean set down the plate of food and move towards him. "What happened?" he asked, Cas could feel his fingers wrap around his own. "I was just wandering around and I accidentally knocked this over" Cas lied, feeling a drop of blood drip down his finger 'I'm sorry" he added.

"It's fine. Here, let me get you a band aid" Dean said, leaving and returning quickly with a band aid. Cas put his finger out and felt Dean gently wipe up the blood and wrap the bandage around his finger.

"All done" Dean said, throwing away the wrapper and placing the knives back in their spot.

"Thank you" Cas said, smiling and feeling his way back to his chair. Dean put the hamburgers together and pulled out the tray of fries from the oven. "Sammy, dinner" Dean yelled, and Cas heard the boy run into the room seconds later.

"Thank you, Dean. This smells wonderful" Castiel said, wrapping his hands around the massive burger. It tasted even better than it smelled.

Dean made glances at Cas across the table before he finally spoke "So Cas, do you like working at the library?" Dean asked.

Cas finished the huge bite he had just taken and cleared his voice. "I love it. It's fun to be around the kids, and I also get to read however many books I want, so that's a plus" he said, smiling "in braille" he added, already feeling Dean's confusion.

Dean smiled "that sounds nice. How's the food? I normally only have Sam to critique it, so I don't know if I'm a good cook or not."

"It's delicious" Cas said "Sam's lucky" he added.

"You could come live with us, and then you could have him cook for you all the time" Sam said suddenly, Cas had almost forgotten that he was there.

Cas heard Dean choke on his water and he could feel his cheeks get rid. "Well, I don't know about that, but maybe he'll invite me back sometime" Cas said, turning in Sam's direction.

"Do you love my brother?" Sam asked, his voice getting louder with excitement. "Sammy, enough" Dean said.

"It's fine" Cas said to Dean "I care about him" he said to Sam who snickered at the response. There was an awkward silence while they all finished their food. Sam ran off to his room when he finished and Dean and Cas were left to clean up.

"Sorry about him. It's been a long time since there was anyone else here with us" Dean said as he picked up the dirty dishes and carried them to the sink.

"I already said it was fine" Cas said, getting up and moving beside him "you wash, I'll dry."

Dean nodded and turned on the water, scrubbing the dishes and handing them to Cas, who dried them and set them down on a wash cloth.

When all the dishes were washed and dried, Dean pulling his hands out of the water and flicked some at Cas. Cas laughed and wiped it away, taking Dean's soapy hands.

"Sammy might be smarter than you think" Cas said, his finger brushed over Dean's lips and he leaned in to kiss Dean's soft lips, Dean's soapy fingers interlocking with his own.

Behind them, an "eew' came from Sam and he went running away, spying on them for the last time that night.


	5. Chapter 5

Cas woke up that morning to the sound of his alarm ringing through his room. He groggily flung a hand out to stop it but didn't realize how close it was and the noise that followed told him it had fallen onto the floor.

Cas just shrugged his shoulders and sat up in bed, the events of his date a few days before replaying in his head. He had been in a good mood ever since his date with Dean, and nothing, not even a broken alarm clock could take him out of it.

Cas swung his legs over the side of the bed and moved his feet around the carpet before he found his slippers.

He shuffled out to the living room, pausing to turn on the news before making his way to the kitchen to make himself some coffee and toast.

He felt happier in the last few days than he had in a long time, and he couldn't stop smiling. He took a sip of his coffee and remembered what it felt like to have Dean's lips on his own. He remembered Dean's distinct smell as the memory filled his nose.

But the memory didn't last long. The scent was replaced with the smell of burnt toast. He snapped out of his thoughts and reached for the toaster, his fingers reaching for the lever. He lifted it and the heard the toast pop up. The smell got stronger as he unplugged the toaster and fished out the charred remains of his toast.

He didn't have time to make more, so he was forced to hope the amount of butter he put on would mask some of the taste.

Today was one of the few days that he didn't feel like going to the library. He was only on his second cart of books in the time he would normally be on the fourth or fifth. All he could think about was Dean, and every time he tried to shake him from his mind, his voice would play in his head.

"Castiel, we have a group of kids coming in today, will you read to them?" he heard the voice of his boss from behind.

He turned around and smiled "Of course. Anything in particular?" he asked.

"Pick any you want. The kids will probably tell you which ones they want to read" she replied before walking away to assist someone.

Cas wandered around the children's section, trying to think of popular children's books they might be interested in. He pulled the braille versions of a few and it wasn't long before he heard the commotion of a bunch of kids running into the library with a lot of energy.

"Castiel is going to read to you today. He's right over there" he heard his boss say and he sat down at a small stool as he heard the children circle around him. Today was a group reading open to the public, but they were being joined by a class of elementary school kids, making the reading circle larger and louder than normal.

"Alright kids, time to start reading. What do you want first?" Cas asked, straining his voice to be heard over all the children. He heard their teacher shush them and it quieted down a little. "What do you want me to read first?" he asked again.

A large amount of voices spoke at once, each one suggesting a different book. "Alright, alright. How about I pick one at random so it's fair" he said, picking up a random book from the stack on the table next to him. His fingers ran over the spine of the book "Green Eggs and Ham" he stated, hearing a round of excited whispers.

His fingers ran over the pages as he recited the words, hearing the children laugh and repeat what he was saying. He smiled as he read, pausing to show them the pictures after he finished each page.

After he finished that book, he read a few more. And after he finished each one, the children would demand more.

"Alright, last one" he said, earning "no's" and "aww's" from the children. "This one is called The Very Hungry Caterpillar." He smiled as it brought back memories of Dean and Sam.

"…and he was a beautiful butterfly" Castiel recited the last words on the page "the end" he said before closing the book.

"Thank you for letting me read to you. I hope you enjoyed the books I read today" he said, hearing the children getting louder as they talked to each other. "Thank you" their teacher said beside him, before she tried to control the children enough to lead them from the library.

"I have to say, you do tell a story better than I do" he heard a familiar voice say.

"Dean?" he asked, standing up and setting the book on the table.

"I thought I would stop by. Sam likes to hear someone read to him other than me and I always look forward to seeing you" Dean said, his hand wrapping around Cas's arm.

Cas smiled and put his hand over Dean's, listening for Sam but he couldn't hear him. He assumed he was off in some aisle forming a stack of books to bring home with him.

"I'm glad you came Dean" he said, leaning into him slightly before realizing he was still at work. "Walk with me?" he asked, grabbing the stack of books and feeling the spine to figure out where they went on the shelves. "Sure" Dean said, holding some books for him.

"So…I found a babysitter for Sam tonight. Maybe I could come to your place?" Dean asked, his grip tightening on Cas's arm "I'll bring the dinner" he added.

Castiel smiled and turned towards him "I would love that. Although you'll have to mind the look of the place. I don't exactly have an eye for design" he said, laughing at his own joke.

Dean laughed "Neither do I" he said.

"I'll see you later then." Castiel said, smiling widely. He heard Sam run up to them "I'm ready" his small voice said.

"Alright Sammy" Dean said, letting go of Cas's arm. "I'll be there at about 6?" Dean asked, receiving a nod from Cas.

"Come on, come on" Sam whined, pulling Dean's hand towards the counter. "See ya" Dean said quickly, leaning in and kissing Cas on the cheek before following Sam.

Cas's face felt hot and stood there for a few seconds, processing before returning to his task. "Wow Cas, was that anyone you want to tell me about?" he heard his coworker, Hannah ask as she walked up to him.

"Oh… um that's Dean" he stuttered, getting embarrassed.

"And? He's pretty hot" she said, laughing a little.

"And I'm going on a date with him tonight" Cas said, choosing to ignore the last thing she said, even though he liked the thought that he was with someone who could turn heads.

"Oh my gosh! You need to tell me all about it. You would be so cute together" she said excitedly, her voice raising a few notes.

Cas laughed "I will, don't worry" he said, putting the last book on the shelf just before his alarm went off, telling him his shift was over.

"I don't work tomorrow but next time I come in, I'll tell you how it went" Cas said, waving in Hannah's direction.

"Have fun" she yelled after him, getting shushed by the people around her.

Cas nervously walked home. He was walking a little faster and more carelessly than usual. The nerves were building up and so was the excitement. He stepped down off the curb and heard the screech of tires and a loud horn coming at him. He jumped back and heard a man yelling at him "Watch where you're going!"

Castiel turned towards the voice and moved his cane out in front of him. He wished he could have seen the look on the man's face when he realized Castiel was blind and couldn't "watch" anything.

He heard the car speed away and he paused to make sure he was safe before proceeding to cross the street. By the time he got home his mind was racing and the thought of the man in the car was long gone.

He used his cane to swipe at the ground, making sure he covered every inch of the house. Any random piece of clothing or misplaced item he hit, he would pick up and return to its right place. He knew his house wasn't anything special, but he wanted it to at least be clean for when Dean arrived.

"What time is it?" he asked Siri on his phone. "It is 5:32" she responded.

Cas felt panic set in. He had less than half an hour before Dean was supposed to get here and he still had things to do. He quickly walked to his bedroom, his hands running over every article of clothing he owned. His fingers lingered until they felt his favorite sweater. He took off his other shirt and put on the sweater instead. It was comfy but he was told it looked good on him. And he wanted to look good for Dean. He moved over to the bathroom and felt his hair, combing down some of the random strands that were sticking up. To pull it all together he sprayed a small splash of cologne on himself, coughing a little as the mist floated into his mouth and tasted bitter against his tongue.

He hurried back out to the living room, sitting down on the couch. There wasn't anything else he could do. "Siri, what time is it?" he asked again "5:41."

Castiel sighed and leaned back against the couch cushion. Now all he could do was wait.

And wait.

And wait.

"Siri, what time is it?"

"6:35."

And wait.


	6. Chapter 6

Cas was starting to get impatient. It was 6:50 and still no Dean. Something must have come up, but Cas thought Dean would have at least called to let him know.

He picked up his phone and was about to instruct it to call Dean when he heard the doorbell ring. He jumped up and walked as quickly as he could to the door, opening it. "Dean?"

"Cas, I'm so sorry. I tried to call you but my phone died. I hope I didn't ruin the night." Dean said apologetically, sounding out of breath.

"No, of course not. Come in" Cas said, reaching for his hand and closing the door behind him.

"What happened Dean? Is everything okay?" Cas asked, leading him to the sofa.

"Well not exactly but don't worry about that" Dean said hurriedly. Cas heard a new noise and realized it sounded like crinkling paper.

"I bought some food. Should I put it on your counter?" Dean asked, standing up. Castiel nodded and followed him to the kitchen.

"Tell me what happened" Cas said, not being able to shake the thought from his head.

Dean sighed "When I went to leave my house, I tried to start my car but it wouldn't start. I'm not sure why, I'll have to check her out later, but I wasn't going to cancel the date. It's not often I can find someone to watch Sammy, and I have been looking forward to this all day. Anyways, I stopped to get some food and walked here. That's why I'm late."

"Dean…you walked here?" Cas asked, completely shocked that someone would do that just to have a date with him.

"Yes. And if me being late is a problem, I can leave and go home. I should have called before I left the house but I was in such a hurry and…"

Cas cut him off and reached out a hand, gripping onto any part of Dean he could. He pulled him close and leaned in. He didn't care if his lips were in the right spot; he just knew he needed to kiss him right then.

He felt Dean's lips meet his own and an arm wrapped around his back, pulling their bodies together. Cas kissed him deeply, sliding his tongue between Dean's lips. By the time they pulled away, each of them was panting but Cas didn't allow Dean to move away just yet.

"Thank you Dean. No one has ever done anything like that for me before" Cas whispered, his mind still blown away by the fact that someone would walk that far for him in the cold weather at night.

"Of course" Dean said, leaning in again to plant another kiss on Cas's lips, this time soft and gentle.

Cas felt his insides heat up though his skin covered with goose bumps. He finally stepped back and gave Dean some space.

"I hope you like Chinese food" Dean said, pulling out cartons of food.

"Sounds delicious" Cas replied. Honestly anything Dean would have brought would have been great considering all the trouble he took to get here.

"Good" Dean said, searching Cas's cupboards for some plates. "Top right" Cas stated, moving to grab some silverware from the drawer behind him.

"I'll have to heat it up, it got a little cold on the walk" Dean said, putting each of the containers in the microwave to heat up.

Both of them got silent as the sound of the microwave filled the room. The loud beeping made Cas jump, signaling their food was done.

Dean grabbed their plates and set them down at the table. Cas sat down in a seat opposite of him "what are we eating?" he asked, picking up his fork.

"Well, I didn't know what you liked, so I got a bunch of different things. I got orange chicken, sweet and sour pork, beef and broccoli, chow mein noodles, white rice, and spring rolls. So just tell me what you want, and I'll dish it up for you."

The smell of all of it made Cas's mouth water "I'll have some orange chicken, chow mein and a spring roll" he said "for starters" he added, laughing a little. His stomach growled right on tune, making both of them laugh.

"I guess I better hurry up" Dean said, laughing as he served Cas his food.

"Thanks Dean" he said, before stuffing his mouth full of chicken. He had finished about half of his food when he realized it was silent in the room "Dean?" he asked.

He heard Dean move quickly, but he dropped his fork, making it clatter against the plate.

"Did I catch you doing something you were hoping I wouldn't notice" Cas asked, a smile lifting the corners of his mouth.

"I…I was just…it's just you're so…so beautiful" Dean mumbled. Cas's face got hot. Dean was staring at him, that's why he was so quiet.

"That probably sounds weird" Dean added, shoveling food into his mouth to shut himself up.

"No, no it was sweet" Cas answered, reaching across the table for Dean's hand. Dean got the clue and moved his hand to Cas's, interlocking their fingers together. Neither of them said anything else during the rest of dinner, this time the sounds of both of them eating were present.

After dinner, they both took their plates to the sink but Cas waved Dean away "those can wait" he said, pulling Dean from the kitchen.

"I thought I could put on some music" Cas suggested, moving to his speaker and plugging in his phone. "Shuffle music" he said and a few seconds later the room filled with an assortment of piano music he had on his phone.

He walked back towards the couch and felt Dean's hand grip around his wrist, pulling him towards him.

Dean was sitting on the couch, and he pulled Cas so he was leaning against him, Cas's head resting against his chest.

Cas snuggled into Dean's body, listening to the faint thumping of Dean's heart beat and the steady movement of his breathing.

Dean kissed the top of Cas's head and ran his hands over Cas's arms, holding him close. Cas moved his head and pointed it in the direction of Dean's. He felt Dean shift and his lips pressed against Cas's.

Cas kissed him back, moving a hand up to brush his fingers against Dean's cheeks. "Dean?" he asked, as they pulled away.

"Yeah?"

"Can I touch you?" Cas asked, realizing that might not have sounded the way he wanted it to "I want to feel what you look like" he added.

Dean hesitated, thinking about what he said "of course."

Cas sat up and faced Dean on the couch. He lifted his hands and outlined Dean's jawline, slowly moving his fingers up over his lips and nose, his fingertips brushing lightly over Dean's closed eyelids and up into his hair.

He lifted his hands and moved them down onto Dean's shoulders, tracing down the muscles in his arms and over the calluses on his hands. He brought his hands up to Dean's chest and slowly moved them down. Dean leaned in and kissed Cas while Cas's hands explored Dean's body, every muscle, every curve, every inch of it.

"You're beautiful Dean" Cas whispered in his ear, bringing his arms up and wrapping them around his neck, as he planted small kisses from the base of his ear down Dean's neck.

"My turn" Dean said, taking Cas's hand in his and pulling him from the couch. Cas felt his nerves excite as he lead Dean to his bedroom. Dean turned and wrapped his arms around Cas's waist and kissed him deeply.

"Can we lose our clothes?" Dean asked, something Cas appreciated.

"Please" Cas said, getting excited. He felt Dean pull off his sweater and his skin filled with goose bumps from the air. Cas reached forward and his fingers fumbled with the buttons on Dean's shirt. He eventually got his shirt off and it fell to the floor, joined shortly by their pants.

Dean switched sides and guided Cas to the bed, pushing Cas lightly on the bed spread as Dean closed the distance between them. "Tell me if you aren't comfortable and I'll stop. No questions asked" Dean stated.

"Thank you Dean" Cas replied, his cheeks getting hot. He appreciated Dean checking with him. Cas hated to admit it, but this was a new experience, and he was nervous enough as it was. But at this moment, he didn't care about any of that. He trusted Dean and he wanted him now more than ever.

Dean leaned in and kissed him strongly. Cas could feel his fingers tracing patterns over his skin. Dean pulled away slightly "By the way, your house looks great. I think you do have an eye for design" he whispered, making Cas laugh. "And you have a beautiful smile" Dean added, kissing Cas's neck and pulling their bodies closer together. Cas could feel the warmth of Dean's breath on his skin and his muscled arms as they pulled Cas in, making him feel safe.

He had never felt this comfortable with someone before. Dean made him forget that he was different. He made in him feel special in a completely different way.

Cas knew before the night was even over that it was one he would never forget. Their bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces in the pitch black.


End file.
